Casket locking mechanism

ABSTRACT

A locking mechanism for a casket having all of its moving parts located inside the casket shell. Access to the locking mechanism is through a tube having an air and watertight seal on the outside of the casket shell an air and watertight waterproof removable closure member. The locking mechanism has a locking bar which is slidably mounted on the inside of the casket shell. The operating mechanism for the locking bar is supported on the access tube and the locking bar is supported on brackets which attach to the casket shell. The locking mechanism is designed so that minimum force is applied to the locking members at the start of the locking cycle and maximum force is applied at the end of the cycle.

Peterson Nov. 5, 1974 1 CASKET LOCKING MECHANISM [76] Inventor: Raymond E. Peterson, 918 Jackson Ave, River Forest, 111. 60305 221 Filed: Aug. 6, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 385,979

[52] US. Cl 292/158, 27/17, 292/97,

292/DIG. 53 [51] Int. Cl A6lg 17/04 [58] Field of Search 49/394, 395; 70/63, 70,

70/455; 292/156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 167, 186, 302, DIG. 53, DIG. 54, 97, 118,123,134,139;27/17,18

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1/1960 Germany 292/161 Primary ExaminerAlbert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmKinzer, Plyer, Dorn & McEachran [57] ABSTRACT A locking mechanism for a casket having all of its moving parts located inside the casket shell. Access to the locking mechanism is through a tube having an air and watertight seal on the outside of the casket shell an air and watertight waterproof removable closure member. The locking mechanism has a locking bar which is slidably mounted on the inside of the casket shell. The operating mechanism for the locking bar is supported on the access tube and the locking bar is supported on brackets which attach to the casket shell. The locking mechanism is designed so that minimum force is applied to the locking members at the start of the locking cycle and maximum force is applied at the end of the cycle.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CASKET LOCKING MECHANISM BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is concerned with a locking mechanism for a casket in which all of the moving parts of the locking mechanism are located inside the casket shell and are accessible only through a tube which passes through the shell. The tube is sealed relative to the shell and has a removable closure means to prevent the penetration of air and water into the casket through the locking mechanism.

Sealing of locking mechanisms for caskets has been a long standing problem in the casket manufacturing industry. Previous locking mechanisms have included rods or shafts which pass through the casket shell. These rods or shafts were rotated to lock and unlock the casket cover. The rotating locking members have required seals between the casket shell and the rotating rod or shaft. These seals have been a source of trouble in the past when they became worn or were damaged because they allowed air and water into the casket shell.

In the locking mechanism of this invention, all of the moving parts are inside the casket. The access tube passes through the casket shell and it is sealed at its area of contact with the casket shell. The closure member which seals the end of the access tube is removable to permit the insertion of an operating wrench through the access tube and into engagement with the locking mechanism. The seals of this construction are not contacted by the operating wrench and therefore are not subject to wear or damage.

The locking mechanism of this invention is simplified in construction and eliminates the sprocket gears, racks and worm gears of previous casket locking mechanisms. Additionally, this locking mechanism is partially supported on the access tube thereby providing a simplified manner of both supporting the locking mechanism and aligning it in its proper position. The locking bar is slidably mounted on the casket shell by guide brackets. The locking bar has hook portions which engage slotted locking projections attached to the casket cover. The ends of the hook portions guide the locking projections prior to engagement. The hook portions are formed with arcuate surfaces which gradually pull down the locking projections upon movement of the locking bar into engagement with the locking projections. The curvature of the arcuate surface of each hook portion is coordinated with the movement of the locking bar as controlled by the crank arm of the locking mechanism so that minimum force is exerted against the locking projections at the start of the closing cycle and maximum force is exerted near the end of the cycle.

Other objects and purposes of this invention may be found in the following specification, claims and drawmgs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial front elevational view of a casket equipped with the locking mechanism of this invention with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the casket body with parts broken away; I

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The locking system of this invention is shown embodied in the casket structure 11 which includes a casket body or shell 13 and a cover 15 which is hinged thereto. A horizontally extending ledge 17 is formed at the top of the casket body and a corresponding ledge 19 formed on the bottom of the casket cover rests on this ledge when the cover is closed. A gasket 20 is mounted on the ledge 17. Both the body ledge and the cover ledge have aligned circular openings 21 and 23 formed therein. Locking projections 25 are mounted on the inside of the ledge 19 and extend from the cover through the ledge openings 23. The locking projections may be of various designs but in this embodiment are elongated cylindrical clevises having transversely extending pins 27 located near the free ends thereof. The locking pro-' jections have threaded portions 29 at their upper ends which extend into the casket cover through the openings 23. The projections are fastened to escutcheon plates 31 located inside the ledge 19 by means of locking nuts 33.

The locking mechanism 41, which is located inside the casket body 13 below the ledge 17 includes a locking bar 43 which is slidably mounted relative to thecasket body by means of generally U-shaped mounting brackets 45 which are riveted or otherwise fastened to the undersurface of ledge 17. A number of hook portions 47, equal to the number of locking projections 25 of the cover, are formed in the locking bar. Each hook portion is formed with a surface 49 which engages a pin 27 of a locking projection 25. The surface 49 is arcuately shaped to gradually pull down the pin 27 as the locking bar 43 is moved to its locked position. The tip 51 of each hook portion fits into a vertical slot 53 of a locking projection 25 and clears the pin 27 when the locking bar is in its open position to act as a guide for the locking projection.

A locking mechanism operating link 55 is pivotally connected at one end as by a rivet to the locking bar 43. This link is also pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the free end of a crank arm 57. The other end of the crank arm is secured to a shaft 59 which passes through an elongated slot 61 in the locking bar 43 and is journalled in an opening 63 in one leg of a U-shaped bracket 65. The other leg of the U-shapedbracket has an opening 67 which fits over a threaded access tube 69 which passes through an opening 71 in the wallof the casket body. The shaft 59 has a socket 73 of noncircular cross-section which aligns with the threaded tube 69 to receive an operating tool of complimentary noncircular cross-section such as an "Allen" wrench.

A locking nut 77 which threads on the outside of the threaded tube 69 locks the tube to the casket body. A gasket 79 is provided between the locking nut and the casket to seal the opening 71 between the tube and casket against air and moisture. A cap 81 having a gasket 83 in the base thereof closes the open end of the access tube.

The use, operation and function of the invention is as follows:

To unlock the casket 11 and thereby permit the cover 15 to be raised relative to the casket body 13, the cap 81 is unthreaded from the access tube 69. An operating tool or key (not shown) which may be similar in cross-section to a Allen wrench is inserted through the access tube and is seated in the socket 73 at the end of the shaft 59. The operating wrench is then rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 to rotate the shaft 59. Rotation of the shaft 59 causes corresponding rotation of the crank arm 57.

To open the locking mechanism, the shaft 59 and crank arm 57 are rotated through an angle of approximately 180. Rotation of the crank arm 57 through an arc of this magnitude moves the link 55 from a first stop position shown in FIG. 4 in which it is contacting the undersurface of the ledge 17 through an arc in which it withdraws from this surface and then back to a second position where it again contacts the underside of ledge 17. Thus, the crank arm acts as a stop to limit rotation of the shaft 59 in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

During the approximate 180 rotation of the shaft 59, the locking bar 43 moves from left to right as viewed in FIG. 1, moving the curved pin engaging surfaces 49 out of contact with the locking pins 27 on the locking projections 25 of the cover 15. When the locking bar is in its fully open position, the tip 51 of each hook portion 47 fits into a projection 25 but only enough to function as a guide for the projection and not enough to prevent movement of the projection.

The locking bar 43 is attached to the ledge 17 of the casket shell 13 by means of the brackets 45 which are riveted to the ledge 17. It is also supported by means of the bracket 65 which fits over the threaded tube 69 which extends into the casket shell. Although, two hook portions 47 are shown on the locking bar in the drawings, it should be understood that any greater number may be provided depending on the length of the locking bar and the casket cover. For example, with a split casket cover two locking projections are provided for each section. Therefore, the locking bar would have four hook portions 47.

The arcuate surface 49 of each hook portion 47 is of nonuniform curvature with the curvature being greater near the tip than near the base of the hook portion. The varying curvatures of this surface are coordinated with the movement of the locking bar 43 as controlled by the crank arm 57 and link 55 in order to apply minimum pulling force to the locking projections 25 at the beginning of the locking cycle and maximum pulling force at the end of this cycle. At the beginning and end positions of rotation of the crank arm 57, the amount of linear movement of the locking bar 43 per degree of rotation of the crank arm is at a minimum. Therefore, when the arcuate surface 49 of the hook portion 47 initially engages the pin 27 at the start of the locking movement, the linear movement of the locking bar is relatively slight in relation to the amount of rotation of the crank arm. To reduce the amount of force applied to the pin 27 as the arcuate surface 49 first engages it, the curvature of this surface is at its maximum so that the force'is applied over a large movement of the pin. At the start of the locking cycle, the amount of force necessary to start compression of the gasket is relatively small.

The curvature of the surface 49 is at a minimum near the base of the hook portion. When the base of the hook portion approaches the pin 27, the crank arm 57 is near the end of its rotation and the amount of linear movement of the lock bar 43 per degree of rotation of the crank arm is again at its minimum. Since the curvature of the surface 49 is also at its minimum, the amount of force applied to the pin 27 to pull it down is at a maximum. Maximum force application is advantageous at the end of the closing cycle to fully compress the gasket 20.

Whereas, the preferred form of the invention has been described and shown, it should be understood that there are modifications, alterations and changes which may be made without departing from the teachings of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be only limited by the claims attached hereto.

1 claim:

1. A locking mechanism for a casket including:

a locking bar slideably mounted in said casket,

an elongated link pivotally connected at one end to said locking bar,

a crank arm pivotally connected to said link and rigidly connected to a shaft, and

means formed at one end of said shaft for rotating said shaft,

. said link including a portion extending beyond its pivotal connection to said crank arm with said extending portion having one edge which engages stop means to limit rotation of said shaft in both c1ock wise and counterclockwise directions.

2. A locking mechanism for a casket including:

a locking bar slidably mounted in said casket,

an elongated link pivotally connected at one end to said locking bar,

a crank arm pivotally connected to said link and rigidly connected to a shaft,

means formed at one end of said shaft for rotating said shaft,

said casket cover having elongated locking projections with longitudinally extending grooves formed in said projections,

said locking bar having at least two hook portions projecting in the same direction with said hook portions fitting into said longitudinal grooves of said locking projections when said locking bar is in its open position to align said projections before said hooks exert a closing force there against.

3. A locking mechanism for a casket including:

a locking bar slidably mounted in said casket,

an elongated link pivotally at one end to said locking bar,

a crank arm pivotally connected to said link and rigidly connected to a shaft,

means formed at one end of said shaft for receiving a shaft rotating instrument, and

shaft supporting means positioned inside said casket,

4. The locking mechanism of claim 3 in which said 5 locking bar is slidably mounted by U-shaped brackets each having a flange portion on the upper end of one leg of the U which flange portion is fastened to the casket.

3,845,976 6 S. The locking mechanism of claim 3 in which said ceived in an opening in said one leg of said U-shaped means formed at one end of Said Shaft for receiving a bracket, a locking nut is-threaded on said tube on the Egg: rotatmg Instrument ahgned wlth Sald access exterior of said casket and a gasket is positioned be- 6. The locking mechanism of claim 3 in which said 5 twee" Said locking nut and Said casketaccess tube is threaded externally, said threads are re- 

1. A locking mechanism for a casket including: a locking bar slideably mounted in said casket, an elongated link pivotally connected at one end to said locking bar, a crank arm pivotally connected to said link and rigidly connected to a shaft, and means formed at one end of said shaft for rotating said shaft, said link including a portion extending beyond its pivotal connection to said crank arm with said extending portion having one edge which engages stop means to limit rotation of said shaft in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.
 2. A locking mechanism for a casket including: a locking bar slidably mounted in said casket, an elongated link pivotally connected at one end to said locking bar, a crank arm pivotally connected to said link and rigidly connected to a shaft, means formed at one end of said shaft for rotating said shaft, said casket cover having elongated locking projections with longitudinally extending grooves formed in said projections, said locking bar having at least two hook portions projecting in the same direction with said hook portions fitting into said longitudinal grooves of said locking projections when said locking bar is in its open position to align said projections before said hooks exert a closing force there against.
 3. A locking mechanism for a casket including: a locking bar slidably mounted in said casket, an elongated link pivotally at one end to said locking bar, a crank arm pivotally connected to said link and rigidly connected to a shaft, means formed at one end of said shaft for receiving a shaft rotating instrument, and shaft supporting means positioned inside said casket, said shaft supporting means including an access tube extending through said casket, a U-shaped bracket having one leg which is supported on said access tube and a second leg which receives and supports said shaft.
 4. The locking mechanism of claim 3 in which said locking bar is slidably mounted by U-shaped brackets each having a flange portion on the upper end of one leg of the U which flange portion is fastened to the casket.
 5. The locking mechanism of claim 3 in which said means formed at one end of said shaft for receiving a shaft rotating instrument is aligned with said access tube.
 6. The locking mechanism of claim 3 in which said access tube is threaded externally, said threads are received in an opening in said one leg of said U-shaped bracket, a locking nut is threaded on said tube on the exterior of said casket and a gasket is positioned between said locking nut and said casket. 